Steam generating system



March V5, 1946.-

w a W 9 l 5, 5 m $7 e ,w, I 5 PHFH 5 F F m i I 5 I i J. P. BADENHAUSEN STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 22, 1943 Patented Mar. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

John Phillips Badenhausen, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 22, 1943, Serial No. 515,245

4 Claims.

This invention relates to steam generating systems.

In the operation of steam power plants, particularly of the sizes and with the pressures employed in central stations, difficulties have been encountered because of the presence of solid materials. The difficulties have taken various water salts were also found to be present. The.

deposits did not reflect the same percentage of materials as those found in the boiler water.

Such deposits of solids in the turbine have been known to decrease the output capacity by more than a quarter in a months time. Various efforts have been made to remedy this situation. Washing of the steam with feedwater has been tried with indifferent success. Changes have been suggested in the feedwater treatment but these have not produced any very marked improvement.

In a steam generating system where the quantities of steam are large and of the order of a million pounds of steam in from one to ten hours, even a'relatively small quantity of solid material continuously introduced has a cumulative effect which may quickly become troublesome.

The nature and characteristic features of the.

invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustratin the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view through a portion of the apparatus, and taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 33Jof Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

It will, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, a steam generator l0 having a superheater H is illustrated diagrammatically, and is preferably provided with a pair' of precipitator units l2, shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.x The steam generator 10 is preferably for central station operation and with a high capacity of steam generation of the order of 100,000 to 1,000,000 lbs. steam per hour.

The precipitators l2 are preferably provided in pairs so that one may be operated and one may be off the line as hereinafter pointed out.

Each of the precipitators I2, in accordance with the present invention, is of much smaller size than the steam generator l0, and each is of a capacity suflicient to provide the requisite make up for the system. Each of the precipitators preferably has a top wall l5, a bottom wall I 6, a front wall IT, a rear wall l8, and spaced side walls It. At the rear wall IS a plurality of vertical headers '20 is provided, spaced along the rear wall 18, the number of headers 20 being determined by the required output capacity of the precipitators. The vertical headers 20 are each terminated near the bottom wall l6, and their upper ends preferably extend above the top wall l5 for purposes presently to be ex- A horizontal header M is provided at the upper portion of the front wall [1.

Banks of spaced steam generating'tubes 22 are provided extending forwardly from lower portions of the rear vertical headers 20 to the front horizontal header 2|, the tubes 22 of this bank including horizontal portions and inclined portions 22a at their front ends.

Other banks of spaced steam generating tubes 23 are provided also, generally similar in shape to the tubes of banks 22, but at a higher level.

Upper banks of spaced steam generating tubes 24 are provided extending rearwardly from the front horizontal header 2I to the rear headers 20, and beneath the top wall I5.

The front wall I1 is illustrated as provided with a plurality of burner openings 25, although it will of course be understood that the invention is not restricted to firing in this manner.

To the rear of the front wall I'I an upwardly extending wall or baflie 30 is provided, preferably extending from the bottom wall or floor I6 to the lowermost tubes of the banks of tubes 24, and so that gases may pass over the, top thereof. The space between the front wall I1, and the wall 30, and above the bottom wall I6, serves as a combustion chamber or as a chamber for the introduction of hot gases from some other source.

In the space between the rear wall I8 and the wall 30 a downwardly extending wall or baflie 3| is provided, preferably extending from the top wall I to the lowermost tubes of the banks of tubes 23. A plurality of passes are thus provided for the hot gases for contact with the tubes of the banks of tubes, 22', 23 and 24.

The rear headers 20 are preferably connected by a suitable pipe 35 for the delivery of steam from the precipitators I2 and for the mixing thereof with the steam from the main steam generator I0 prior to the passage thereof through the superheater II.

In the use of the apparatus of the present invention the steam generator I 0 is operated in the custorna'rymanner for the generation of steam as required, but does not have any make up delivered thereto as heretofore. One of the precipitators I2 is operated to generate steam. The hot gases of combustion generated or available in the forward chamber pass upwardly and rearwardly in contact with the front portions of the tubes of the banks of the tubes 22, 23 and 24, over the top portion of the wall 30, then downwardly and rearwardly over the intermediate portions of the tubes of the banks of tubes 22, 23 and 24 beneath the bafiie 3|, then upwardly and rearwardly in contact with the rear portions of the tubes of the banks of tubes 22, 23 and 24, and then to the stack (not shown).

The. steam generated in the tubes of the banks of tubes 22, 23 and 24 is delivered to the rear headers 20 for discharge.

The precipitator I2 is supplied with water in accordance with the make up requirements. The precipitator I2 is operated at the same pressure as the main steam generator I0, and steam only is delivered therefrom. The water with its contaminating solids, is retained in the precipitator I2 and is not delivered in liquid form to the steam generator ID. This permits of the collecting on the walls of the tubes of the banks of tubes 22, 23 and 24 of solid incrustations and also segregates the solids in the water in the precipitator i2. In this manner the solids are not delivered to the steam generator I!) and are also not deliv- I ered into the steam main. When and as desired the precipitator I2 which has been operating is taken off the line and. the other precipitator I2 is used. The first precipitator I2 may then be cleaned and the separated and segregated solids are removed in solid form as incrustations in the tubes 22, 23 and 24 and in dissolved form in the Water in the tubes of the precipitator I2. After the second precipitator I2 has similarly been operated the first precipitator I2 may again be substituted therefor.

In this manner the solids are kept under control and in selected locations, for removal from time to time as desired and without contamination of the main steam supply.

I claim:

1. In a steam generator, a rear wall, a top wall, a front wall providing the forward boundary of a combustion space, a baffle parallel to said front wall and providing the rear boundary of said combustion space, a front horizontal header at the upper part of said front wall, rear vertically disposed headers spaced along said rear wall, a bank of tubes connecting each of said rear headers to said front header, banks of substantially horizontal tubes extending from said front, header to said rear headers adjacent said top wall, and a baflle to the rear of said first baffle for providing a plurality of passes of combustion gases in contact with said tubes.

2. In a steam generator, a rear wall, a top wall, a front wall providing the forward boundary of a combustion space, an upwardly extending baffle parallel to said front wall, and providing the rear boundary of said combustion space, a front horizontal header at the upper part of said front wall, rear vertically disposed headers spaced along said rear wall, a bank of tubes connecting each of said rear headers to said front header and having horizontal portions and upwardly inclined front portions, banks of substantially horizontal tubes extending from said front header to said rear headers adjacent said top wall, and a downwardly extending baflle to the rear of said first bafiie for providing a plurality of passes for the combustion gases in contact with said tubes.

3. In a steam generator, a rear wall, a top wall, a front wall providing the forward boundary of a combustion space, a baffle parallel to said front wall, a front horizontal header at the upper part of said front wall, rear vertically disposed headers spaced along said rear wall, a bank of tubes connecting each of said rear headers to said front header, the tubes of each bank having horizontal portions and upwardly inclined front portions, banks of substantially horizontal tubes extending from said front header to said rear headers adjacent said top wall, and a baflie to the rear of said first baffle for providing a plurality of passes for the combustion gases in contact with said tubes.

4. In a steam generator, arear wall, a top wall, a front wall providing the forward boundary of a combustion space and having fuel inlet means, a front horizontal header at the upper part of said front wall, rear vertically disposed headers spaced along said rear wall, a bank of tubes connecting'each of said rear headers to said front header, the tubes of said bank having horizontal portions and upwardly inclined front portions, banks of substantially horizontal tubes extending from said front header to said rear header adjacent said top wall, and a plurality of parallel baffies for providing a plurality of passes for the combustion gases in contact with said tubes.

JOHN PHILLIPS BADENHAUSEN. 

